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Modeling Delamination Growth in Laminated Composites: F. Shen, K.H. Lee, T.E. Tay
Modeling Delamination Growth in Laminated Composites: F. Shen, K.H. Lee, T.E. Tay
Modeling Delamination Growth in Laminated Composites: F. Shen, K.H. Lee, T.E. Tay
1
2
Z
c
2
w
a
2
w
A
2
Z
c
4
w
a
4
w
A
4
o
(3)
G
II
=
1
2A
n
X
c
3
u
a
3
u
A
3
X
d
2
u
b
2
u
B
2
1
2
X
c
2
u
a
2
u
A
2
X
c
4
u
a
4
u
A
4
o
(4)
G
III
=
1
2A
n
Y
c
3
v
a
3
v
A
3
Y
d
2
v
b
2
v
B
2
1
2
Y
c
2
v
a
2
v
A
2
Y
c
4
v
a
4
v
A
4
o
(5)
In the above equations, X, Y and Z are nodal force
components, and u, v and w are nodal displacement
components in the x, y and z directions, respectively.
The subscripts denote the corresponding nodes in Fig. 1.
The delaminated area is given by A = cl.
3. Three-dimensional analysis of post-buckled
delamination
All FE analyses are carried out using an in-house
nonlinear code specially designed for solving delamina-
tion problems. Two types of models are used: one-
quarter models and full models (Fig. 2). The composite
laminate has a quasi-isotropic lay-up [(0/45/-45/90)
3
]
S
and a centrally located through hole of 5 mm. The cir-
cular delamination has a diameter of 20 mm. Since the
delaminated portion (referred to as the sublaminate) is
expected to buckle under compressive load and thus
experience larger deformations and stresses relative to
the substrate, greater mesh renement is used for the
sublaminate. Isoparametric twenty-node brick elements
are used throughout the models. Around the crack tip, a
locally symmetric square mesh S2, shown in Fig. 3, is
used to assure convergence of the SERR [25]. Naturally,
the question of the adequacy of the local near-tip mesh
is a signicant one and has been investigated in greater
Fig. 1. Schematic of crack front region in 2D and 3D cases.
Fig. 2. One-quarter and full nite element models.
Fig. 3. Local near-tip meshes considered, from Ref. [25].
F. Shen et al. / Composites Science and Technology 61 (2001) 12391251 1241
detail in a recent work by the authors in Ref. [25], where
three dierent near-tip meshes (Fig. 3) were used in 3D
nite element models of delamination in a woven fabric
composite. In the gure, S1 is a rather crude mesh, with
the length of the side of the near-tip element equal to the
thickness of one ply of the composite. S2 and S3 are
renements of the local mesh, with the length of the side
of the smallest near-tip element equal to half and a
quarter of the thickness of one ply, respectively. In Ref.
[25], it was shown that the Modes I and II components
of the SERR calculated using S2 and S3 near-tip
meshes did not show appreciable dierence in values.
Only the mesh S1 showed a signicantly lower predic-
tion of the Mode I component under certain conditions
(such as when the aspect ratio with the circumferential
length of the near-tip element was greater than 10).
Hence, the near-tip mesh S2 is deemed adequate and,
therefore, used for the nite element models reported in
the current paper. It is perhaps worthwhile to point out
that further renement of the near-tip meshes with ele-
ment sizes less than a quarter of the ply thickness does
not imply improved accuracy of the computed compo-
nents of the SERR. Indeed, an extremely and increas-
ingly ne mesh would result in non-convergence since
the region would have entered the zone of oscillatory
stress elds. The work in Ref. [25] showed that in the
near-tip region, if the smallest element size is between a
quarter and one ply thickness, the components of the
SERR are unique and well behaved. Although this
implies the existence of a length scale (which, admittedly
is still controversial and poses conceptual diculties), it
at least assures stable and single-valued components
over a reasonable range.
Symmetric boundary conditions are applied to the xz
and yz planes of the one-quarter models (Fig. 2). A
uniform prescribed displacement is imposed at one
edge. The sum of all the nodal reaction forces at the
opposite edge is equivalent to the applied external load.
The prescribed displacement is increased incrementally
until the applied external load reaches the peak com-
pressive fatigue load (30 kN). No symmetric boundary
conditions are necessary for the full model, of course,
but the same method of applying load through pre-
scribed displacement is used. In order to initiate the
buckling of the sublaminate, a small initial out-of-plane
displacement (equivalent to about 7% of a single ply
Table 1
Description of FE models and experimental specimens
One-quarter
FE models
Full FE
models
Experimental
specimens
Position of
delamination
Ply angles adjacent
to delamination.
Sublaminate
lay-up
Q1 F1 E1 Between layers 1 and 2 0/45 [0]
Q2 F2 E2 Between layers 2 and 3 45/45 [0/45]
Q3 F3 E3 Between layers 3 and 4 45/90 [0/45/45]
Q4 F4 E4 Between layers 4 and 5 90/0 [0/45/45/90]
Fig. 4. Applied load vs maximum transverse displacement.
1242 F. Shen et al. / Composites Science and Technology 61 (2001) 12391251
thickness) is prescribed near the center of the circular
sublaminate. This initial displacement does not sig-
nicantly aect the postbuckling behaviour of the sub-
laminate [25]. Four cases are analyzed for each set of
one-quarter models (Q series) and full models (F series),
depending on the location of the delamination in the
laminate (Table 1). In the rst case (Q1 and F1), the
delamination is located between the rst and second
plies, i.e. between the 0 and 45
plies. Similarly, in the third case (Q3 and F3), the dela-
mination is located between the third (45
) and fourth
(90
) plies, and in the last case (Q4 and F4), the dela-
mination is located between the fourth (90
) and fth
(0
and 60